Importance of Different Literacies

¶ … Literacy is more than knowing how to read and write in a given language. At the level of college education, literacy pertains to mastering the means of communication for different subjects. Literacy therefore may entail understanding specific jargon of a chosen field, but it may also mean being literate in the modes of inquiry, paradigms, assumptions, and methodologies of specific subjects. Each college major will have different literacy needs and requirements for a successful college term and for graduation. It is crucial that college students master the literacy skills that relate to their chosen major, if they hope to graduate and succeed in their future career.

One type of literacy that pertains to almost all college majors is information literacy. According to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL, 2014), information literacy is defined as "the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information," (p. 1). Information literacy helps students tackle the enormous databases in their college libraries, which can be daunting at first. Without information literacy, the search methods, database names, search protocols, and processes of research can seem nearly impossible. Information literacy means knowing what to look for, how to look for it, and what to do with the information once it is found. Critical to any subject from medicine to literature, information literacy helps students research issues on the Internet as well as in the library. Another type of literacy related to information literacy, and which is nearly universal in scope is media literacy. Media literacy helps students to tell the difference between a reliable source and a source that is biased or unreliable for research.

Another type of literacy that is universal in scope, and important to all college majors is technology literacy. The definition of technology literacy is, "The ability to use technology effectively in several different ways," ("The Many Forms of Literacy," n.d., p. 1). The types of technology literacy used in different subjects will determine how literacy skills are learned and mastered. For example, a chemistry student will need to become literate in the technological tools used for laboratory experiments and the data analysis that follows. Likewise, a social sciences student will need to become literate in the statistical analysis software used in sociology and psychology. Music majors will also use specific technologies for composing, playing music, or recording music.

All students need to learn financial literacy, but especially those who major in economics or finance. According to Sheerer (2013), "all students should be taught" financial literacy, which includes "individual finance concepts and the knowledge and practices needed to increase personal financial security," (p. 1). Financial literacy helps students stay in school, because students who cannot manage their finances risk dropping out due to being unable to manage their budgets. Moreover, financial literacy helps students avoid having to move in with their parents after graduation.